hordak

Sounds like the conversation i had with my 5 year old the other day. I heard his sister crying so i rushed up stairs to see what was wrong and discovered that he had hit her. I asked him why, his response, "She did it too"

This should be a bumper sticker.

I think that cuts both ways. one who thinks "I can't believe he showed up to church wearing a tee shirt" or "I can't believe they expect me to dress up for church" are both guilty of missing the point.

Nothing, as long as you understand It's not different then talking with Moksha, (but he is way more entertaining:D) Problem is unofficial sources (when not understood to be unofficial) can support/ cause "psudodoctrine" I.E. "Encyclopedia of Mormonism, that must have some good info right, it was written by faithful LDS scholars, historians and apologist" Coffee "So it is the caffeine. I saw Sister Suzie drinking a Mt Dew the other day. I better let her know she is wrong lest she miss out on Celestial Glory":rolleyes: It can cause people to overlook actual doctrine. I have meet a few who think Polygamy was practiced by the church to take care of widows going out west because they heard it from some apologist. No it was practiced because God commanded it, way before the trek out west, with non widows. It's revealed to Joseph in the D&C. In defense of apologetics they tell people they are not official, but i have met a few members who don't know or don't care and use them to "prove the truth" of their belief.

That because drinking is not wrong for non Mormons. Just like many Mormons would have no issues eating un kosher meat, shell fish and being clean shaven in front of the lord .It is not their covenant. But i agree with your over all premise that the Would you do it in front of Jesus, is not the best measure

First off, Way to choose to the Air Force. Best of the American Services. (Except maybe Coast Guard, they have it pretty good too) However as a USAF vet myself, married to a career Airman ( Air women:D) i would recommend college first. Why? because it is the "biggest risk." At 21 years old you can go to school, do great, do something as a civilian. Go to school, do great, apply for OTS. Go to school, find out it's not for you, leave and join the service. You do a 4 or 6 year hitch first, now your 25 or 27, maybe married (guys will be throwing themselves at you more then at BYU;)) have a kid or 2. It will be much harder to give up the "bird in the hand" for 2 in the bush. Even without family ties i have seen people who made careers out of the service not because they wanted to, but because giving up the certainty for the uncertainty of civilian life was too big a risk.

Yes personal revelation can trump council, (See sig) otherwise there would be no point. Not really sure what your asking. It would have to be compared to know it is personal revelation wouldn't it?MOE runs into elders quorum with a smile on his face. "I received revelation last night that i should visit 2 ward families each month and share a spiritual message with them" Someone pipes up. "That's called home teaching, we already do that";)

I figured you would be in favor of beards http://ts1.mm.bing.net/images/thumbnail.aspx?q=247017907732&id=6f1d3932ea83c594684b34b7c48c7351&index=ch1

Every mundane little detail that is going on in the world/ area (in a positive way). I never went on a mission but in basic training i was "cut off" from life and no one wrote because they had "nothing" going on to tell me about. But being that isolated from "real life" is tuff and anything that connect you back to it is good. While my friends were reading about how fluffy the dog, chewed up some new socks, or how their mother made apple pie for dinner i had no link to the outside and it sucked. It might be harder for missionaries, because it is longer, or easier, because they still interact with the outside world, but it is always nice to hear from home. Even if it is tiny insignificant details you see as nothing, it means more to those who are without it.

Do you support smoking? Probably not. But I'm betting your enjoying some benefits from the use of tobacco . Here is a few.

If women get pants would they give up the car? I have never seen sister missionaries on bikes. It could be a numbers thing, more elders then sisters in the field, but every place i have been they are in a car, while the elders do the bikes. Any return missionaries want to chime in?

Yes and no. The official reason is you can't get a seal, and it would certainly be true of bushy beards. However people with shaving waivers are allowed to grow all facial hair up a 1/4 inch in length and still achieve a seal, but those without the waiver can't miss a day of shaving. So there is both safety but also conformity/ professionalism aspects as well.

Prince of light. You will never find anyone more "liberal" on dress an appearance then myself. I have a gotee, i'm giving up shaving completely for a year in November, and i have 4 extra holes in my head i wasn't born with:), I had three others but they closed up. That being said to claim beards are not considered unprofessional anymore is a huge assumption. How many industry do you work in? How many states? And more importantly how many countries? ( this is a world wide church) A clean shaven standard is the most efficient, because in no place (with the exception of some mid eastern countries, whom i believe wear beards as a religious conviction of Islam) is it considered unprofessional. Yes the beard can be seen as professional but also unprofessional to others. The clean shaven look is not. No one will ever say "Can you believe that guy had the audacity to come in here clean shaven" Does it matter, spiritually? No Does it matter to investigator x? It could. And since the missionaries are in the "business" of making new contacts to teach the gospel to it is probably best ,I.E. easiest, to have them have a look that is always considered professional, then one that may or may not be. Side note, spending the last 10 years military/ military affiliated i find rules on what is acceptable facial hair to ridicules as they don't take into account the individuals face shape, ability to grow hair etc and tend to be over restricted to avoid extremes. Most i known to wear the military stache expect to look like Tom Selick but end up looking like they have dirt under their nose, and i have seen a few look like Charley Chaplin or Adolph Hitler. This guy this guy http://ts3.mm.bing.net/images/thumbnail.aspx?q=216360497450&id=b222cce1dbf3f46e06ba3015cc5ff5ab&index=ch1 and this guy http://ts2.mm.bing.net/images/thumbnail.aspx?q=242650251977&id=22798b9a28b98ae96be956b91d0ab4b7&index=ch1 might be following the same "regulations" for beard growth, not over a certain length, not shaped into a faddish fashion etc, but clearly the professional look of them varies, Can't fight genetics.

I think this is why God the FATHER and family is so important. As a Father myself i have the same goals, dreams, rules etc. for my children, but i understand them as individuals and as such i might give them different ways to learn. I might teach caring to my daughter by having her help the neighbor clean up their yard, while my son is learning by cleaning the table. We are children saying, "Why am i working out in the sun while brothers is inside" or " why are you wasting your time outside, just clean the table" We don't know why Father has bro and sis doing something different. But chances are he knows better then us.

The most important thing to remember is you join the church for you, and your relationship with God and the gospel. Will some people judge you based on looks? yes it is sad but true. Some people follow council different then others and this one happens to be more visible. (Unlike others like, family planning, sabbath day activities or R rated movies). But just as Brother Jones wouldn't leave the church because he works the occasional Sunday, or sister Smith wouldn't leave to find a church more accepting of her action film collection, i wouldn't suggest you give up on the LDS because you look different. I don't think God cares what we look like either. It is scriptural. As far as the missionaries dropping you, i think everyone has covered it. But to be perfectly honest with you as a "missionary church" you will find some who are not as sincere in their friendship as they are in fellowshipping. When my wife joined one of the big factors was the "friendship aspect" (we have a complex life full of moves, and starting all over again) When investigating the church there was one family in particular who had us over a couple times a week for bbq's, games , movies etc. After a few months of this and she was baptized they "dropped us" We later found out from some genuine friends we made in the ward that the family was just filling a calling. Their "job" was to welcome new members into the ward. So what i'm saying is your desire to join the church should be based on the Gosple itself. You should not join for the good stuff you find in the community, nor should you give up due to the bad stuff you find. Base your decision on the Gospel itself and you wont have to worry about what others do or don't do.

I would stop with the bold, miracles can happen to anyone,regardless of religious belief. (though it is probably more apt to be recognized as a miracle, with a strong religious conviction)

I wouldn't call it a couple (as in 2) producing if a 3rd party is brought in, gay or straight couples. (not saying there is anything wrong with that, but see a "product" of a couple as "product" of the 2 E.G., Little Billy who is from Mrs Jones egg , donor x, and raised by Sam Jones is not a "product" of the couple (the Jones) . but a product of donor x and MRS Jones. Biologically speaking This is true whether Sam is female ( and it is a lesbian relationship) or the best Priesthood holder in Elder quorum. Guess It really just comes down to semantics. Amen.

quote]same-sex couples cannot produce children to come into this life Going to have to go with skippy on this one (this fact, i haven't actually read his whole statement) . Same sex couples cannot produce children. It is a biological impossibility, (until we lift the ban on cloning).

I already have one I actually say a show about the autobahn on nat geo the other day. Speed doesn't kill, their limitless ( in some areas, higher limits is others) is much safer then our own highway system. Apparently the difference (the way they explained it) is Germans look at driving as an activity. Something that is done with full attention, while here in the US it is just a mode of transport, something to get you to work while your scarf down breakfast, while you arrange meeting on your cell phone etc. As i understand it German cars, especially the ones that stay there, don't have the extra bells and whistles we Americans love like cup holders, driver side vanity mirrors etc. So if you want to be safe pay attention and drive, and stay right unless you are passing, and i don't mean there is a big rig 4 miles ahead you will pass in 4 minutes at your current speed.

I have a S&W 686 6 inch barrel and i love it. Being so large my wife don't like to shoot it ("That's ok honey, we will just have to by "you" a new handgun":D) but the weight really takes the "bite out" and was surprised by the recoil of a glock 9mm when i rented it from the range. I love wheel guns, they aren't as easy to carry (if that is your purpose) but they are a thing of beauty and simplicity. They are the 57 bel airs of the shooting world. I don't know if i would go cheap on a revolver though, look for a used top end model. The cheap ones don't appreciate in value. I would love to get a colt python but since they were discontinued they seem to keep getting more and more expensive.

Ah but which one? According to Wikipedia there is about 40 "LDS" churches still in existence:p (I have found most opposition to the church comes from our "peculiar" doctrine that comes from revelation, though many attack it's authenticity as it is the cornerstone, it doesn't have much to attack as it lines up with Bible based Christianity for the most part) On the topic i think finding archeological "proof" for the Book of Mormon is a bit presumptuous without an OFFICIAL revealed location. "We" wouldn't be the first to find "proof" of our pet Book of Mormon location... http://ts1.mm.bing.net/images/thumbnail.aspx?q=220749966444&id=5ea02919df495c751dc4508a70aa73ad&index=ch1 ...only to have it "blow up" in our face.

Since this is the internet it must be going off my maturity so i'll take it as one. Had we met in person and you were referring to the white in my beard...:)

Every time i read your name my mind reads grandpa so i figured you where too old to know 4chan. Then i saw your profile.:) Op. Any pics you put on a blog can be copied and chopped into anything so i wouldn't have them, Stories with false names, provided they don't reveal too much personal identifying info, seem to be ok.

"If consequence dictate action it doesn't matter what's right, It's only wrong if you get caught." James Maynard Keenan. I see a similarity but disagree. Depends on why you want the carrot. Just today at the store when walking through the parking lost i saw an elderly lady struggling under the hood of her car. First thing that came to mind was to ask if she need help. She did and i helped. My wife was walking behind me, had i stopped to help for fear my wife would "get on me" about not helping , or had i done it to show off to my wife the same task would be completed but it certainly isn't the same. Pay tithe to avoid "hell" (Stick) Pay tithe to get personal blessings (Carrot) Pay tithe because it can build up the kingdom (Carrot) All have the same positive behavior, but are not the same in the long run. (I believe this is why there are not only divisions of the kingdoms, but divisions in the kingdoms as well.) Doing the right this because it is right, doing the right thing to get praise, and doing the right thing to avoid punishment are 3 entirely separate things.

Interesting, though not very faith promoting especial from an LDS point of view. It seems to say belief in God today, is for the same reason our great great great etc. grand parents believed in Donar (aka thor). It helped them survive. but today we call it myth. Will the same be true for us? Plus the whole idea of doing right so God don't punish you might be in line with other Christianity, But it clashes (IMO) with the Plan of doing right to become like God, and sounds more like the rejected "I will make them do right" plan.